On 11th June six caged bears were removed from a private zoo in Artsakh and taken to a wildlife rescue and rehabilitation centre in the Armenian mountains. The relocation operation took place at the invitation of Zhanna Hayrapetyan, the daughter of the late businessman Levon Hayrapetyan.
The mission took place at a zoo belonging to the Hayrapetyans in the village of Vank, Artsakh.
Our Great Bear Rescue campaign aims to rescue all the caged bears in Armenia and provide them with a secure, semi-natural environment in which they can learn to behave like bears again. To date, 35 bears have been rescued from shocking conditions in small, filthy, barren cages in private locations like restaurants, factories and petrol stations.
Alan Knight OBE, IAR President, said: “”This is the biggest bear rescue mission our partners at FPWC have accomplished so far with IAR’s support. Any rescue operation that involves anaesthetising captive wild animals requires meticulous planning and execution to ensure the safety and welfare of animals and people. The translocation went like clockwork. Congratulations to Ruben Khachatryan and the FPWC team on a job well done. Now we must turn our attention to caring for the bears, providing them with nutritious food and veterinary treatment to improve their health and give them the lives they deserve.”
Ruben Khachatryan, Director of FPWC, said: “In October 2017 FPWC launched a massive bear rescue programme in cooperation with International Animal Rescue. We are glad that the organisation is always by our side, supporting the implementation of our programmes. As an associated member of EAZA, the European Association of Zoos and Aquariums, FPWC has created conditions for animals that meet all the norms and standards to ensure their wellbeing.”
Investigations have shown that in Armenia nearly 50 bears are illegally kept in private locations including restaurants, petrol stations and factory yards. FPWC is the only organisation in Armenia that has the means to provide transport, medical assistance and further care for rescued bears. FPWC cooperates with the Ministry of Nature Protection of the RA, the Environmental Protection Inspection Body, the Ministry of Emergency Situations and the Police.
To date 35 caged bears have been rescued and moved to the wildlife rescue centre in the mountains of Urtsadzor where they learn to enjoy life after years behind bars. They have spacious outdoor enclosures with pools to bathe in during the heat of the summer and underground dens to hibernate in during the cold winter months. They are fed a nutritious diet, rather than the scraps and leftovers they have previously been fed on. Since they can’t be returned to the wild because they have spent years in captivity and can no longer fend for themselves, they are regularly provided with various forms of environmental enrichment to keep them active both mentally and physically.
Among the rescued bears is a mother and two young cubs that were born earlier this year. Says Knight: “Once the bears have completed their time in quarantine and passed all the medical checks to ensure they are healthy, it will be a joy to see them get their first taste of the outside world. It will be delightful to see the little cubs with grass and soil under their paws for the first time, rather than the muck they’ve been standing on in their cages.”
The aim of the bear rescue programme is to encourage “green” thinking in Armenia, to form respect toward wild animal species and to eradicate the cruel traditions of keeping wild animals in cages.
Ruben Khachatryan concluded: “I would also like to mention that the Foundation for the Preservation of Wildlife and Cultural Assets has agreed to assist the Hayrapetyan family in establishing a trained animal therapy centre in Armenia for the benefit of children with special needs.”
The rescue of the six bears brings the total to more than 40 and has filled every remaining space at the bear sanctuary. The two groups warn that no more rescues can take place until the new centre they are planning to build during the next two or three years can offer safe and secure accommodation for more rescued bears.
Knight concludes: “We won’t rest until all the caged bears in Armenia have been freed from their miserable lives behind bars and given the better lives they deserve. The six new arrivals can look forward to happier times ahead and that goes for all the bears still awaiting our help. We will not forget them.”